An introduction
by lkjdsf
Summary: The beginnings of a long and winding story. (original people, mostly.)


Chris Davison stepped up to the huge glass doors of the IWEF offices. He had just signed a contract here, his first televised federation. It was his chance to make himself a star, and try he was going to.  
As he stepped into the giant building, he was pleasantly surprised at the luxury and clean business efforts. Maybe this was the 'big-time' he'd searched for... after all, it was here that jumped at the chance to sign him, not one of the 'big two.'  
After a short business deal with those inside, he walked out, happy in the sense that his talent would not go to waste. Finally, exposure. Or, was it?

Fast forward, to November.

Davison had been suspended for no apparent reason, and had been approached by a man named Duncan, who was built on terrorizing a few individuals that considered themselves supernatural. He offered Davison passage back into active competition, and it was a path that Chris had taken. After all, why bother to stay out on a suspension, when it wasn't anything he's done? So he took the offer.

It turned into one of the worst days of his life.

He had walked to the ring for the title match. Two short months, he had the shot at the Heavyweight Title. And Duncan turned on both of them, he and Adam Dodd, viciously and with a vengeance, using a whip with razors attached to the back to introduce the new champion, hand-picked by Duncan himself. Brought in only for that reason. Davison was down and out, and until he was booked in a battle royal for the title, the belt that eluded him the previous month, no one heard from him.

"C'mon, man." Jake Greenlaw, Davison's best friend since the age of thirteen, said. "You can't expect to actually do this. Ring rust has taken its toll and you're still recuperating. You can't be planning to go back."  
"Bullshit." Chris responded, as he lifted the heavy weights below him. His training was hanging upside down on a re-inforced chin-up bar, lifting weights while inverted. "I'm goin' back and showing them up."  
"No." Jake shook his head. "I mean, this thing may as well be rigged. Nobody will even consider you the winner."  
"All the reason that I have more of a chance." He shot back.

******

Davison had, upon his return, cut a chilling interview that many, many people considered to be the best in IWEF history. And had followed up with three more excellent ones, quickly establishing him as a powerful force. That night, he was the last man standing in the ring to win the IWEF World Heavyweight Championship. And that belt had caused him immense problems. But it had also caused the meeting of the bright star in his darkest times.

******

He walked down the hall of the offices, absorbed in deep thought. And suddenly, as he rounded the corner, a small, petite figure swung down in front of him, hanging from overhead. Davison's first thought was the thing in front of him, if a person, was crazy. Then, when he backed up and got a look at the person, he thought she was cute, but still crazy.  
"Hiya!" She proclaimed, smiling brightly.  
"Uh... hi..." He responded, coiling back. He immediately regained his stone-like emotion. _Stay calm, stay uncaring. If no one is close, no one can burn you._  
"I was hoping that you could help me out, could you tell me where I'm supposed to go?" She asked. "I just got here and I'm supposed to talk to someone." Then, she blinked and looked at him as if he was someone she knew. "You look familiar."  
"Name's Davison... Chris Davison." As soon as he said it, he realized the James Bond line similarities and immedately felt like smacking himself for it. "You're signing just now or are you supposed to contact about your first appearance?"  
"Oh, I've already signed up." She laughed. "They told me to be here tonight. My name's Tempest. So, do you know where to go?"  
"Yeah..." he felt a strong attraction, as if he didn't need to keep the stone-heart facade around her. "I'll show you the way there."

******

The one meeting had solidified a relationship between the two, starting as friends. Their first official date had been to Chinatown, where Davison had ended up making an ass of himself when he ate something that had slightly too much spiciness for his tastes, that Tempest easily digested.  
Then, at the January IWEF pay-per-view, his loyalty to her was tested. When Duncan revealed to the entire world that Tempest was brought to the IWEF straight from a brothel and an opium den. They made women fight one another and if the combatants "weren't too tired out" as Duncan had crudely put it, "they could be purchased for the night."  
And then, Tempest ran. She had been tricked into running from Davison, and she had done so of her own will, in a way. Chris had been distraught beyond belief, and he had spent the following week, not to pursue his title match as the former champion or to destroy his enemies... but to find Tempest and make sure she was okay. He did find her, delirious and disoriented on a rooftop, clutching an electric cable. After a short interaction, he carried her back to his home and placed her on the couch, sopping wet and confused. From that point, he left her side only to get food or sleep, and slept irregular hours just to make sure she was okay.  
When she recovered, she remembered only the superkick she received in a match at the pay-per-view, and nothng afterward. And then, the recap show played and revealed that Chris knew, as well as the world, of her past. They spoke a while, and Chris made it clear-- he didn't care what she did before. What he cared about was what happened _now_, between them.  
The incident only made them stronger as a couple.   
Then, when the IWEF offices terminated Chris's contract, he decided that it was long overdue that he left, anyway. Both he and Tempest up-and-left the place and took roots elsewhere. The IWEF was a rough playground, and the ICW couldn't bring either of them down easily.  
When the ICW closed, they journeyed to the ICWA together, and already suffer oppression. Tempest's past was found out about, and exploited by a 'Neo,' which was a major mistake in Chris' mind-- he is ready to cause permanent damage. That brings us to the present day... where Chris is just getting over the anger of Neo's words, and where Tempest still hurts from the memories.

Welcome to their world.


End file.
